Team Performance R&D - Pilot Study

Purpose and goal

The aim of the pre-study was to create knowledge and learning about opportunities for R&D teams to work better and deliver more. The study has created knowledge and learning about intangible and tangible effects generated by team development. A depiction of means used today by R&D actors to improve the return of R&D has been created as well as of barriers for implementing team development. In addition, different models for team development are described and a proposal for further efforts is given. Results from the study were presented at a seminar for R&D actors.

Expected results and effects

The study shows that team development makes R&D work, as well as the process of generating R&D funding, more efficient. Intangible effects are created at an early stage of the team development process. The study specifically shows that team development improves understanding, trust, co-operation and communication within R&D teams. For one of the teams in the pilot, the team development created a value in funding amounting SEK 880 000 and an ROI (Return on Investment) of 23%. The study is expected to result in academy and industrial research start applying team development.

Planned approach and implementation

To show how team development functions in R&D and the effects it generates a pilot was carried out. In the pilot three teams from the research institute RISE, Jönköping University and Lund’s university received team development over a period of 713 months. The effects generated by the team development were evaluated by means of a ROI methodology (Return on Investment). The ROI methodology allowed both intangible and tangible effects to be assessed. In addition, a seminar and a series of interviews with R&D actors were carried out to clarify conditions for team development in Swedish R&D.